A proposal to bulldoze the building, in Ridgewood Drive, and erect a 60-bedroom care home for elderly people was rejected by Wirral Council last September.

But it will now go ahead after the Planning Inspectorate ruled it would be an “appropriate standard of design in the context of the appeal site’s location and surroundings” and would not have any “adverse effect on the character and appearance of the area”.

The application, by Ideal Care Homes Ltd, was rejected by Wirral Council after concerns about the impact of the development on people living nearby.

Read More

Campaigners who petitioned against the plans said they were concerned the planning system made it easy for developers to win at appeal. John Hughes, chair of the Pensby Community Association, said: “I feel bitterly disappointed by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to ignore local concerns and overrule Wirral Council.

“I want to pay tribute to our community who came together to fight this development, I only wish the result were different.”

In its ruling, the Planning Inspectorate noted Wirral Council had given permission for the pub to be demolished in April 2016, adding: “although the loss of the building may be of strong local concern, it does not on its own justify the refusal of planning permission.”

But campaigners said that after planning law reforms in 2014, local authorities can no longer reject applications to demolish private property when located outside a conservation zone and can only insist that demolition is done safely.